1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for thermal destruction of waste materials, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a system for thermal destruction of toxic waste materials having unknown volatility.
2. Discussion
Recent concern over destruction of hazardous waste has created a need for technology to safely and efficiently dispose of such waste. In many instances, the waste is stored in steel drums and one does not know the composition or toxic properties of the waste. The prior art processes for the destruction of hazardous waste has generally required substantial knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of the waste to insure that disposal of the waste does not create harm or deleterious effects on the equipment, personnel and the environment. That is, the prior art processes as a whole require that the waste material be examined and classified before incineration (i.e. whether the waste is solid, pasty, liquid or perhaps gas and the calorific values of the waste); and the process and equipment must be adapted to handle specific waste or refuse problems.
For example, a drum filled with gasoline might explode if placed in a hot combustion chamber or explode after being heated if the combustion chamber is initially cold. Likewise, a container of gasoline or other volatile substances would begin to boil and release combustible material as such were heated; whereas another substance, e.g. carbon, would not release combustible materials.
As can be appreciated, the requirements of obtaining knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of a hazardous waste material increases the exposure of personnel to such waste. Thus, it would be highly desirable if one could provide a safe and efficient thermal destruction system for substances of unknown toxicity, without the requirement as to having knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of such substances, which was capable of detecting problems of volatilization and other downstream problems, and which, at the same time, substantially reduced or eliminated the need of handling such materials by personnel. It is to such a system that the present system is related.